The orange-cheeked waxbill (Estrilda melpoda) is a common finch species found in western and central Africa, with an estimated global distribution of 3,600,000 km2.

The Orange-cheeked Waxbill, originally from wet Africa, has been transferred to Puerto Rico, Guadeloupe, and Martinique in the Caribbean (Camacho Rodríguez et al. 1999, Raffaele e It is common in the coastal plains of Puerto Rico (Raffaele and others 1998), where it was introduced before 1874 (Biaggi 1997), and frequents the tall grasses and marshy edges of the Laguna Cartagena National Wildlife Refuge in Lajas and the Humacao Natural Reserve (Oberle 2018). 

Most habitats are brushlands, pasturelands, grasslands, marshes, sugarcane fields and borders, seeding grasses at agricultural stations, and road sides (Biaggi 1997). The atlas fieldwork found 375 records in 233 hexagons, 49% of 479 hexagons (see map). 

In 233 hexagons, breeding was confirmed in 5% (11) and probable in 45% (106), and possible in 50% (116) using the atlas definition (see map). Sharing orange-cheeked waxbills. The map overlays Puerto Rico’s natural life zones with the highest breeding code by hexagon. For rounding, percentages may not total 100.

Reports indicate that the Orange-cheeked Waxbill breeds from June to August (Raffaele and others 1998). 239Orange-cheeked Waxbill/Veterano nests at ground level in grass clumps with thick and fine grasses. Atlas data indicates that this species breeds predominantly from March to July (see to chart). 

June is the greatest month for breeding in the subtropical moist forest life zone (chart). Research indicates that this species is prevalent throughout the island, particularly in the subtropical moist forest life zone (68% of hexagons) (refer to table). It breeds in subtropical wet and lower montane wet forest life zones at higher elevations (18% of hexagons) and the southern subtropical dry forest life zone (14% of hexagons) (see table and map).

The Orange-cheeked Waxbill’s global population is unknown, however it is considered common or abundant locally (Clement 1999). BirdLife International (2018) expects the population trend to remain steady, as it is currently classed as a species of least concern by the IUCN due to the lack of evidence of decreases or extinctions. 

The Orange-cheeked Waxbill nests in Puerto Rico are parasitized by the nonnative ріο-tailed Whydah (Raffaele 1989b). This item is not classified in any PRDNER or USFWS categories locally. The Orange-cheeked Waxbill in Puerto Rico has a protected habitat of 543 km2 (10%) of the total hexagonal area, where it has a good chance of breeding (5570 km2).